US box port crisis worsens Congestion and delays at US West Coast container terminals could last well beyond a labour contract settlement, a prominent shipper group representative has warned. Bruce Carlton, president of the Virginia-based National Industrial Transportation League, maintained that operations on the waterfront
Keel laying for Transnet dredger It will be the largest trailing suction dredger (TSHD) in Africa and is being built for South Africa's Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) by Netherlands-based Royal IHC. The third dredger to be built for TNPA's Dredging Services division by IHC, the as-yet-unnamed 5,500m³ TSHD is part of a
Port Saint John seeks C$38M for dredging The proposed dredging programme to deepen the main channel and the berths alongside the container terminal at Port Saint John in New Brunswick will cost approximately C$38M ($30.573M), a company spokeswoman has told IHS Maritime. She added that the dredging would take about three years and could
IMO captures black carbon A definition of black carbon has been agreed upon at the IMO sub-committee level, which environmentalists hope might lead to the banning of heavy fuel oil in the Arctic. The definition will allow the IMO to develop ways of measuring black carbon to support data collection. Welcoming the "long
Fire breaks out on Olsen cruise ship Boudicca An engine room fire broke out at about 4am yesterday aboard the Fred Olsen cruise ship Boudicca while it was sailing off the coast of Casablanca, Morocco. There were no injuries to any of Boudicca's 784 guests and 356 crew members, according to a company statement released today. It added, "There
Greek shipowners calm in face of Syriza win Following the results of the general election on 25 January, Greek shipowners are waiting calmly for the new government led by the left-wing anti-austerity party Syriza to announce its policies on the shipping sector. The new administration is expected to end the autonomy of the shipping ministry
Container ship supply to exceed demand until 2018 The supply of container shipping capacity is likely to exceed demand for at least three more years, according to Drewry, the London-based consultancy. "The industry has remained in a very long market trough since the index fell to 90 points in 2009, and there is very little light at the end
Updated: Union condemns shrinking UK training funds Government funding to train UK seafarers has reduced year on year "in real terms", maritime union Nautilus International has warned. Although the 2014-15 funding, at GBP15M (USD22.7M), is the highest it has ever been, Nautilus said this amount will cover barely 20% of course expenses. "The funding
Lightweight composite approved for ship use In a major breakthrough heralding the increased application of fibre-reinforced composite in place of steel material, the Swedish SP Technical Research Centre has secured approval for its use in the replacement of steel hatches on a SOLAS compliant vessel. The approval, which came from the flag
Marlink VSAT for Van Oord fleet Dutch dredging and offshore contractor Van Oord is to fit customised Marlink very small aperture terminal (VSAT) services to its fleet, aiming to install equipment on 30 vessels by the end of 2015. "Most of the fleet will have the service," a Van Oord spokeswoman confirmed to IHS
Yemen chaos spreads towards Red Sea chokepoint Oil-exporting countries of the Arabian Gulf are watching anxiously as the security situation in Yemen continues to deteriorate in the wake of US-backed President Hadi's resignation on Thursday. The previous day, the port of Aden was closed as Houthi rebels briefly seized control of the
Capesize influx puts ship scrap prices under pressure A growing number of Capesizes being sold for demolition is exerting downward pressure on ship scrap prices. As many as 10 Capesizes are already on the market and many of these are headed towards Bangladesh and Pakistan. Dubai-based cash buyer Global Marketing Systems said, "Much of the tonnage
Dockers' union drops opposition to Mombasa privatisation Kenya's Dock Workers Union (DWU) has modified its long-held opposition to private operation of Mombasa port's new container terminal. The union now says it will support a government plan to hand the Second Container Terminal to a private operator after completion of the new berths,
Terrorist 'infiltration' threat adds to Mediterranean migrant fears Former Libyan finance minister Ali Tarhouni used the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to warn that Islamic State militants are controlling migrant crossings from Libya and may be infiltrating Europe-bound migrant vessels. Quoted in the Malta Independent, Tarhouni said: "Europe is
A*STAR signs MoU to improve ship efficiency Singapore-based A*STAR's Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sembcorp Marine, University of Glasgow and University of Glasgow Singapore to improve the design of large ocean-going vessels. The three-year MoU will involve new hull designs
Ten missing in 'hit-and-run' collision Ten Chinese fishermen are missing after an unidentified cargo ship collided with their vessel off the South Korean resort island Jeju. Three surviving fishermen from the vessel told South Korean Coast Guard officials that the cargo ship sailed away after colliding into their vessel's starboard
China reports 36M tonne slump in coal imports last year China's total imports of bituminous and other coal for 2014 stood at 135.2M tonnes, an 11% year-on-year fall of 36M tonnes, latest statistics from China's customs authorities showed. This is the first time China's annual coal imports have declined in the past six years - but the
Sri Lanka probes floating armoury Sri Lanka has banned the head of a private maritime security company from leaving the country because of investigations into a floating armoury it operated off Galle port. On a police request, a Colombo court ordered the temporary confiscation of the passport of Nissanka Senadhipathi, chairman of
MES to deliver gantry cranes to New Priok port Japanese shipbuilder Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (MES) has received orders for its gantry cranes from the PT New Priok Container Terminal. MES said it will deliver eight units of its Mitsui-Paceco Portainer ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes and 20 units of Mitsui-Paceco Transtainer
Capesize influx puts ship scrap prices under pressure A growing number of Capesizes being sold for demolition is exerting downward pressure on ship scrap prices. As many as 10 Capesizes are already on the market and many of these are headed towards Bangladesh and Pakistan. Dubai-based cash buyer Global Marketing Systems said, "Much of the
Bulker detained in Singapore after charter dispute A Liberia-flagged bulk carrier was arrested in Singapore following an ongoing chartering dispute between Dubai-based MUR Shipping and Greece-based Phoenix Shipping & Trading. The 48,913 dwt Intrepid, owned by Phoenix Shipping and Trading was arrested after MUR Shipping filed documents seeking
DNVGL calls for transparent accident data sharing DNVGL's maritime CEO, Tor Svensen, believes that "legal fear" is stopping shipowners from sharing critical "lessons learned" from serious accidents. Speaking to IHS Maritime, Svensen said that while he would not "specifically say" that lawyers are warning
UASC invests in reefer boxes Dubai-based carrier says it will make further investments in its fleet this year
Cost of ocean transport down on last year despite sulphur regulation Declining fuel prices mean container transport costs are lower than in 2014, even though low-sulphur fuel requirements have come into force
Egypt to ramp up LNG imports to meet domestic energy needs Some 75 cargoes said to be required by Egypt over about two years, with a Hoegh FSRU receiving the first imports into the country in a matter of weeks
Product tanker Tosca in $18m sale and charter back deal Innovative deal as interest builds in secondhand medium range tankers
Hyundai Heavy Industries says its new orders fell 28% in 2014 South Korean shipbuilder suffers worst performances in almost all sectors
CSSC lands $312m loan from Cexim to finance 18,000 teu boxships Move supports China's bid to compete in ultra size boxship class
Weapons rental claims investigated by BIMCO PMSCs accused of breaking law by leasing guns
It's all about growth for VLGCs New ships, new cargoes: a new-look gas carrier industry
Emergency anchorages set up as LA/Long Beach delays worsen Marine Exchange activates contingency plans to cope with gridlock in the harbour
Cosco Group records $799m pre-tax profits in 2014 China's largest shipping group reveres loss on government-sponsored fleet renewal
Hong Kong will deliver low-sulphur fuel law this year An official says city is drafting legislation that it aims to pass mid-year
The extraordinary power of buoyancy The use of air to lift heavy weights has become an important tool in the hands of the heavylift sector
ILWU, PMA reach tentative agreement on chassis maintenance and repair Negotiators for the Pacific Maritime Association and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union have reached a tentative agreement on the chassis maintenance and repair issue that has been the major roadblock to reaching a new waterfront contract at West Coast ports. PMA spokesman Steve Getzug said on Monday that the tentative...
WTO agreement advances on US formal acceptance The U.S. formally accepted a landmark World Trade Organization agreement that could cut the cost of trade by up to 15 percent and inject up to $1 trillion into the global economy, providing a much-needed boost to sluggish international trade growth. U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman on Friday delivered the letter...
US West Coast port pileup added to UPS holiday troubles Congestion and delays at U.S. West Coast ports contributed to UPS's high holiday transportation costs, cutting into the company's fourth quarter earnings and underscoring the broad impact of the ongoing longshore labor dispute on U.S. distribution networks. UPS, the largest U.S. transport operator, lowered its earnings guidance for 2014 and the...
Huge winter storm closes terminals at Port of NY-NJ Marine terminals at the Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest East Coast container port, will close early today and remain closed Tuesday as the entire Northeast braces for a winter storm of historic proportions. The wintry onslaught is expected to bring as much as 3 feet of snow,...
Dockers' union drops opposition to Mombasa privatization Kenya's Dock Workers Union has modified its long-held opposition to private operation of Mombasa port's new container terminal. The union now says it will support a government plan to hand the Second Container Terminal to a private operator after completion of new berths, scheduled for March 2016. Private operation was a...
Diversions lead to double-digit growth at India non-major ports Cargo volumes at non-major, also known as minor, ports in India expanded at nearly three times the pace of throughput at "major" ports owned by the federal government, reflecting rerouting of traffic to avoid ongoing congestion problems at certain major ports. According to port statistics compiled by JOC.com, non-major ports, which...
Hong Kong's largest air freight terminal has strong finish to solid year HONG KONG - Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd. (Hactl) ended a solid 2014 by recording its strongest quarter of the year as Asia's air freight sector continued its robust recovery.The largest air freight terminal in Hong Kong handled 491,476 tons from October through December, up 4.9 percent on the...
Alliances to shake up Asia-North Europe market share, Drewry says Alliance services in the Asia-North Europe trade, end-January 2015.The new carrier mega-alliances are set to shake up market share on the key Asia-North Europe liner trade while shippers will benefit from a greater choice of services, and probably lower freight rates, according to Drewry Shipping Consultants.The 2M Alliance of Maersk...
Cosco back in black with $800 million profit HONG KONG - China's largest shipping company, China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co., sailed back to profit in 2014 after three loss-making years, according to mainland media.Cosco Chairman Ma Zehua said in an interview with state-run Xinhua news agency that the group had last year made a profit of $807 million,...
Global shipping body slams EC 'short-cut' advance filing proposal HONG KONG - A European Commission proposal calling for carriers and forwarders to identify the buyers and sellers of imported goods in their customs filings has been slammed by the World Shipping Council (WSC).The EC is in the final stages of rewriting the European Union's advance cargo data reporting requirements...
China focuses attention on Omani port of Sohar More than $15 billion has been invested in the Omani port of Sohar and its free zone.HONG KONG - The development of Oman's Sohar Port and Freezone and its links to the Arabian Peninsula and Gulf nations have placed the port city firmly on China's radar as it works to...
Shanghai warehouse supply to rise sharply this year, Colliers says HONG KONG - An estimated 10 million square feet of warehousing space will be completed in the Shanghai area this year, with one-third of the new developments located in the city's bonded areas, according to global real estate firm Colliers International. Driving growth in the logistics warehouse sector is the rise...
SingPost buys New Zealand forwarder to boost regional network HONG KONG - SingPost has acquired a 90 percent stake in New Zealand forwarder Famous Pacific Shipping as the regional e-commerce logistics specialist expands its Asia-Pacific footprint.The Singapore-based company paid an initial amount of $2.7 million for the stake through its forwarding subsidiary Famous Holdings, and after the net profit...
New capacity plans risk India ports becoming 'stacking yards' HONG KONG - Only 60-70 percent of India's port capacity was currently being utilized, and that issue should be addressed before the country embarked on ambitious new port projects, according to Visakhapatnam port chairman M.T. Krishna Babu.Babu was addressing a two-day East Coast Maritime Business summit in the port city...
Investors lose interest The appetite for equities that offer exposure to certain segments of the shipping industry appears to be subsiding, according to an analyst at Arctic Securities.
Storage deals for 20 Oil traders have fixed at least 20 tankers for floating storage, an analyst at Canaccord Genuity said today as he warned that spot market strength may shift the trend.
Karamanlis sells Hellenic stake Hellenic Carriers has seen one of its largest shareholders surrender his stake in the company as he was elected MP in yesterday's Greek elections.
Three hurt in fire Three people have been injured in a fire on an Indonesian cargoship in Surabaya.
PNSC defends record Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) has denied delaying vessels lifting cargoes for Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and says it is still owed money for journeys already completed.
Deltadiep released An Intership Navigation cargoship has been released by Guyana nearly three weeks after drugs were found on board.
ING raises Boskalis Royal Boskalis Westminster has seen its status upgraded to "buy" from ING, two weeks after it increased its stake in offshore shipping company Fugro.
Sino-Global in tanker move Nasdaq-listed Sino-Global Shipping America has made a move into tanker ownership with a second-hand deal in Hong Kong.
Havyard takes over NES Norwegian shipbuilder Havyard Group has taken control of ship technology company Norwegian Electric Systems (NES).
More than 1,000 scrapped More than 1,000 ships were scrapped worldwide during 2014, according to data released from NGO Shipbreaking Platform.
Bulker repairs continue Repairs are being carried out on a Chilean bulker that suffered hull cracks after grounding at the end of last year.
Piracy conference called off An anti-piracy conference was called off in Las Vegas due to a dispute between a workers' union and the venue, Red Rocks Casino.
ITF targeting Asia The ITF union is sending out teams of inspectors to check crew pay and conditions in Asia this week.
ICTSI in debt swap Philippines port operator ICTSI has offered shareholders a chance to swap current outstanding notes with new debt maturing later.
HHI orders slump Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has revealed a 28% dive in orders during 2014, but the marine business fell by only 7.66%.
GSI profit to jump Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) is forecasting a "substantial increase" in earnings for 2014 after it sold non-core operations.
Vinalines debt sold A group of lenders to Vinalines is selling debt worth VND 2 trillion ($93bn) to a state assets agency.
West Africa waits A new $60m West African shipping line backed by Nigeria has yet to materialise despite a promise it would be up and running in December.
Cosco back in black Chinese state giant Cosco has returned to profit after three years of losses, according to chairman Ma Zehua.
Bimco to vet dry ports Bimco is calling on shipping companies to participate in its new vetting system for dry bulk terminals.
Vietnam tanker released Vietnam's PV Trans Oil and Jalvahan Ship Trading look to have settled their differences over an alleged chartering dispute.
Syriza heading for victory Syriza, Greece's radical left-wing coalition party, is poised to form the country's next government, early exit polls show.
OPEC: Oil 'will not' fall to $20 'The price will not go to $20 or $25, I think the price will stay at where we are now,' says Secretary-General.
NY, NJ terminals to shutdown as winter storm approaches Expected to close around 3:30 p.m. (local time) on Monday, port authority says.
Chief engineers swicthing fuels 'too early' Korean Register says new software will help more cost effective ECA compliance.
ECA awareness campaign launching next month PSC inspectors will focus on informing crew about the new sulphur limits.
'Eco' ship launched Ship design will contribute to shipbuilder reducing CO2 output.
Fujairah's Oil Terminal 3 could be in operation next year Terminal will handle small vessels and bunker barges.
Hong Kong official: Emissions law this year Regional extension to law is 'being explored'.
Trader departs Termoil Company has offices across east Mediterranean region.
Bunker demand helps drive China fuel oil imports Venezuela is China's top supplier.
Engine certificate, not fuel type, to demonstrate ECA NOx compliance IMO working on circular to explain how the NOx Tier III compliance process will work for LNG fuelled engines.
Singapore: 'Many people are bearish' 'Sagging crude oil prices' undermine demand.
Hempel brings new product to market Which is responding to customer demands.
Court hearing of Titan Petrochemicals delayed Date has been pushed back to March 13.
Chinese shipping giant back in profit Company decreases total fuel bill by $400 million in 2014.
Sri Lanka: 'New approach needed to boost bunkering sector' Official urges authorities to look into price adjustments.
Staff moves at Petrobras in London Previous employee is now 'retired', according to the company.
Bunker storage facility starts up at UK port Geos Group goes physical at Great Yarmouth.
Cheaper bunkers undermine case for super-sized ships German chief executive reviewing invest decisions on big tonnage.
Falmouth bunker bonanza shows no sign of abating How long the bunkering bonanza will continue is the million-dollar question.
Emissions-reduction device to enter marine market Device aimed a small diesel powered ships.
Oil prices to rebound, says Total's CEO To a higher level than before the current price crash.
African player boosts Mauritius bunker supplies Vivo Energy Mauritius adds barge to fleet.
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